Showing posts with label Independence Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Independence Day. Show all posts

Wednesday, 6 July 2011

Where is the footage showing Pope JPII's first visit to the USA?

It seems appropriate, somehow, in the aftermath of Independence Day celebrations and, in light of the debate regarding communion in the hand or on the tongue to review Bl Pope John Paul II's visit to the USA way back in 1979.

Taken when Pope JP II was still a Cardinal -
 it was all so black and white then!
Why? Because he gave a guide as to how one should receive the Body of Christ.
A nun was kneeling at the communion rails (they did that back then) but, instead of opening her mouth and extending her tongue she held out both hands.
The Holy Father gently guided her hands so that they were joined Amen fashion and then placed the host on her tongue. What better sign could one wish for?

I just wish that I could find the clip on Youtube.

Monday, 4 July 2011

Happy Independence Day!

To the land of Little Women and Minute Men I wish you all a very happy Independence Day although, truth be told, I think that you would be much happier if your were all still part of England (heh, heh).

You have the good providence to speak (apparently), much as our ancestors at the time of Shakespeare spoke. You talk of the 'Fall' as we used to, you use the word 'puke' excessively (or so we are led to believe) and you also have a sort of rural drawl that our rustic forbears had. The thing is, we in England progressed and you lot stayed the same!

That was, by the way,  before my combox becomes full to overloaded, an English joke. We love our American cousins (or, at least, I do).
I have only spent 3 weeks in Concord and Boston back in 1990, but I learnt a great deal and that brief period changed my life and my way of thinking, thank you.

I remember, particularly, the graves of the Redcoat soldiers by the bridge in Concord.  They were the first to fall in this grim fight, far from home and, it has to be said, in a land that they thought of as being home also. The graves had fresh flowers placed on them every day and this had a profound affect on me. Would we in England be so generous to our foe?

I tried to find a musical extract that epitomised Britain's regard for the USA and I failed. So here is a little of Burl Ives and the Cowboy's Lament. Just as you may think that Britain is symbolised by Guardsmen in bearskins marching up and down the Mall, so we think of America as being Burl Ives and Cowboys---- maybe it's an age thing.


Either way......happy ID!